April 2022

Dear Rykelan,

April was a whirlwind month in our little household. At the start of the month, you enjoyed your first ever sleep over with Grandma and Papa while your dad and I went on a work trip to Texas. It was our first time away from you, and while we missed you, we know you had so much fun bonding with your grandparents and playing with toys saved from my childhood. Papa sent us pictures while we were away, and though you look a little cold, you clearly had fun.

In the middle of the month, you can with me to one of my author events. You were still young, but you sat nicely with Dad for some of my talk, and when you got antsy, he took you outside to play in the little park across the street.

April was also our first Easter together, and you loved the bunny ears your Momma Kenzie got you. You were also obsessed with jelly beans - even the licorice ones! But then at dinner, you thought the olives were also jelly beans, which lead to some delightfully funny faces.

And then at the end of the month . . . something unexpected happened.

One night as I was getting you ready for dinner, I got a phone call from a paramedic. Your dad had been in a car accident coming home from one of his grad school classes.

Apryl hurried over to babysit (with Uncle Tristan close behind to take over for her). Dad and I ended up being at the hospital for several days, which meant you got a second sleepover with Grandma and Papa while we figured out what happened.

We discovered your dad has epilepsy, and a seizure caused him to crash and flip his car.

We missed you so much while we were in the hospital, and we were so grateful Grandma and Papa (and Apryl and Tristan) could take care of you until we got home.

We miss you even more now.

Love you, Turkey.

Mom